With winter nearly upon us, sooner or later we are going to have to deal with at least one ice storm. So how can you safely remove ice from your concrete steps in St. Louis Park without destroying them? Read on for some tips from the professionals here at Wohlwend Concrete.
When it’s time to de-ice your concrete steps, you want to make sure you don’t use the old standbys like rock salt (aka sodium chloride). Rock salt itself won’t damage your concrete steps, but the rapid heating and then refreezing can.
What you should look for when you’re in the market for a good concrete step de-icer is something called calcium chloride. It will quickly melt the ice off of your steps without destroying the concrete itself, and it’s actually more environmentally friendly than sodium chloride, so Mother Earth will be thanking you too!
The biggest thing to remember when de-icing your concrete steps is that once you put the de-icer on, you still are not done with the task. You should take the time to completely remove all of the slushy ice. Taking a few minutes to shovel your concrete steps and fully clear them of slush and ice could save you a world of hassle and money in the long run. This important step helps to preserve your concrete steps and can help extend their life span.
Magnesium chloride is also a great de-icer. It’s also environmentally friendly and safe to use around plants. While this might be a bit more expensive than calcium chloride, it is worth the extra money if it means your concrete steps will last awhile longer!
So, when you need more information about concrete steps in St. Louis Park, call on Wohlwend Concrete at 651-426-2610 or contact us for a Free Quote Request.